A Cuban identified as Tania García shared on social media the huge line she encountered upon arriving at José Martí International Airport in Havana, where, as she recounted, they were inspecting the luggage of all passengers, including the smallest bags.
"The line is tight. Now, everyone, everyone is being inspected. Everyone checks everything, everything, everything," she remarked in surprise while filming the long queue of travelers waiting to go through customs.
In the video, which lasts only 25 seconds, the woman stated that she had never experienced a situation like this during her trips to Cuba. “Look at the line there is... This has never happened to me before, and this is the first time they've put me here, but for everyone, I mean, for everyone, even for small suitcases,” she emphasized.
However, the traveler herself later clarified that she did not suffer any confiscation nor were her bags opened.
"In the end, they didn’t take anything from me nor did they search me; it was just scanning," he explained.
His main criticism was directed at the organization of the service, especially when multiple international flights coincide and passengers accumulate while waiting to pass their belongings through the X-ray machines.
"Flights keep piling up... they should then put in more X-rays and more staff so that it isn't chaotic," he noted.
The arrival coincides with new immigration and customs regulations
The testimony coincides with the initial days of the implementation of the Migration Law 171, Citizenship Law 172, and Foreigners Law 173, which came into effect on Sunday, November 1.
The new legal framework eliminates the previous limit of 24 months for staying abroad, introduces the concept of effective migratory residence, and maintains the government's authority to restrict entry and exit from the national territory under certain circumstances.
Although these provisions modify the immigration rules, it has not been established that the delays shown by García are related to their implementation.
The controls on luggage are in accordance with customs regulations, which also underwent changes in 2026.
In April, the Decree-Law 108 on Customs came into effect, which expanded the inspection powers over travelers and goods. Since October, new regulations regarding personal imports have also been in effect.
Complaints about airport security checks are not new. At the end of October, a Cuban and his Mexican wife reported an unpleasant experience at the Havana airport, where the woman claimed to have undergone a thorough search before leaving the country.
In February 2025, the authorities inaugurated an expansion of Terminal 3 that included several X-ray machines to expedite baggage screening.
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